Bar defends 'jobs for girls' advert

Employment lawyer Claire English said the Chapel ad seemed
"a very clear breach" of the act. Photo / Doug Sherring

A popular bar has been caught out advertising jobs for
women only, a day after the Herald revealed that Masala
restaurant in Stanmore Bay had done the same.

Chapel Bar & Bistro in Ponsonby posted an online ad
saying: "We need female bar & floor staff at Chapel ...
drop us an email if you or a friend needs a job."

Owner Luke Dallow said the ad was to be taken
"tongue-in-cheek", but was worded that way because the
central Auckland business was seeking gender balance.

The Human Rights Commission said both Masala and Chapel could
be in breach of the Human Rights Act.

"Should the commission receive a complaint, it will be dealt
with in the usual manner," a spokeswoman said.

Last year, the commission had 1488 inquiries and complaints
about unlawful discrimination.

"The commission does not investigate complaints or prosecute.
Its complaints process is one of voluntary, confidential
mediation ... It is for the Human Rights Review Tribunal to
determine whether any complaint is unlawful," the spokeswoman
said.

The tribunal can award compensatory damages of up to
$200,000.

Mr Dallow, who is also behind the Dedwood Brewing Company
with its headquarters at Tin Soldier restaurant just across
the street from Chapel, said he had 54 employees and 65 per
cent were male.

"We're not being sexist or anything in posting that ad, I'm
running a business and it's just about wanting to get the mix
right," said Mr Dallow, who has been operating hospitality
businesses for 22 years.

But employment lawyer Claire English said the Chapel ad
seemed "a very clear breach" of the act.

"There's been a lot of publicity about this, and I'm
surprised that people wouldn't know and be aware."

A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment spokeswoman
said yesterday that investigations into the Masala chain of
restaurants were still before the Employment Relations
Authority.

The law

The Human Rights Act covers all grounds of illegal
discrimination, and outlines 13 grounds on which it is
prohibited for an employer to discriminate against an
employee or a job applicant.

These include gender, marital status, religious belief,
colour, race and ethnic or national origins.

There may be some exceptions where an employer can specify
gender preferences - for example, a women-only gym.